


Tabula Rasa

by Inkognito97



Series: Tumblr Prompts [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: After Naboo, Anger, Force Visions, Friendship, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Jealously, Jedi Temple, Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan takes on a new Padawan, Oblivious Qui-Gon, Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Qui-Gon Lives, The Force, jedi order
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-04
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-01-29 09:05:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12627618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkognito97/pseuds/Inkognito97
Summary: Yet the ginger haired Knight wondered, was he truly ready to take care of a young life, was he ready to form such a young life to become a Jedi? Yes, he decided, he was ready.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Star Wars or any of its characters, nor do I make any kind of profit from them. They belong to Disney.
> 
> Every mistake is my own.  
> If you want to have more Star Wars (and more) stuff, check out my Tumblr blog:  
> Inkognito97.tumblr.com

Life was ironic, Obi-Wan thought. He was sitting in Yoda’s private chambers, with said Jedi Master sitting across from him on a small sofa. Mace Windu, with whom Obi-Wan had developed a rather strong friendship now that he was knighted, was sitting next to Yoda, on a normal sized chair. Yoda’s quarters were strange. Some furniture - most of it actually - was made for a being of the green Master’s size. But here and there were pieces of furniture for normal sized beings, like Obi-Wan and Mace. All in all, it brought a picture of chaos into the otherwise harmonic rooms. Obi-Wan liked it. 

“Are you sure I am ready?”

“Obi-Wan,” Mace sounded pained and if he was suffering through an argument with Qui-Gon and the Council, “there are times, when I believe you were born ready. And then there are times, when I wonder how we could have knighted you.” A hit to the shin was his answer.

“What meant to say, my insolent former student is, that ready to take on a Padawan, you are.” Yoda hummed and nodded his head.

Obi-Wan could not quite believe it. Granted, he had been supposed to take Anakin as his Padawan, but Qui-Gon had survived barely and only because Obi-Wan had given him some of his own life energy, but still. Yet the ginger haired Knight wondered, was he truly ready to take care of a young life, was he ready to form such a young life to become a Jedi? Yes, he decided, he was ready. The Force was with him and no matter what others might thought of him, when the meddling green troll and his dark skinned minion decided it was time to bring him and an Initiate together, then so be it. 

“Just don’t push us together the way you pushed Master Jinn and me together.” He and his former Master had never really talked after Naboo. Qui-Gon had taken on Anakin and Obi-Wan had felt as if he should give them both some room. Anakin needed to be trained after all and surely his former Master needed all his time to care for the blonde. So the new Knight had taken mission after mission, travelling from one end of the galaxy to the other, always on the move. He had gained a reputation as the  _Negotiator_ in the galaxy, though he actually hated that title.

“Promise that, we will.” There was a certain glint in Yoda’s eyes, it spoke of satisfaction. Obi-Wan barely kept himself from sighing. 

“Well,” Mace clapped loud into his hands, “have fun choosing a little Sithspawn… eh, I meant Initiate, as your Padawan.” He still received the walking stick to his shin for that slip.

* * *

“Already seen someone who caught your interest?” the dark skinned Korun Master silently and fluidly slipped into the seat right next to Obi-Wan, whose eyes were fixed on the sparring pairs of Initiates.

He shook his head, “No and the Force is silent too.” He made a face.

“Don’t be discouraged. Perhaps your future student will reveal himself or herself soon, or you have to wait for next year’s sparring matches.”

Obi-Wan hummed and was about to retort, when his eyes caught an all too familiar face. It was Anakin Skywalker entering the ring and his opponent, seemed to gulp. The Knight furrowed his brow, there was something about the boy…

“Who is the one sparring against Skywalker? … and why is Anakin fighting in the Initiate tournament?”

“I don’t know, to the latter, though believe me when I say that I do not approve. Where the hell is Qui-Gon? And to your first question, that would be Jon-Ral Jinn.”

“What?” he exclaimed perhaps a little bit too loud, at least when the worried and surprised faces of his fellow Knights were anything to go by. He waved them away with an apologizing expression on his features. “Jinn?” he whispered to Mace.

The Council member nodded, his brown eyes were fixed on the pair that had just started to fight. “He is Qui-Gon’s nephew, though your former Master does not know that… does not know him. Like Qui-Gon he is deeply connected with the Living Force, though he certainly is not as much of a troublemaker. Do not get me wrong, he DOES give us a few headaches sometimes, he is not as bad as his uncle though.”

“He seems pretty shy…” Obi-Wan had observed before the fight had begun.

“He does not have many friends and the expectations of him are high.” Mace was starting to wonder about all the questions.

Obi-Wan nodded. With an uncle like Qui-Gon, it was no wonder. “Any potential Masters?”

“None.”

The ginger haired male’s head wiped around as if he had been slapped. “Surely there must be someone interested in him!”

Mace shook his head and there was something unreadable in his eyes. “Nobody wants to have someone like Qui-Gon as a Padawan, someone, who discards his student in favor of another.” He and Obi-Wan had talked a lot about this particular Council session and back then, the Knight had been delighted that the Korun Master was on his side.

“But he is not Qui-Gon,” now why did this feel awfully familiar?

“I know…” the dark skinned male hesitated, “but you know how hard it is to look further than a shadow.”

Yes, Obi-Wan knew all too well what it meant to be judged because of another’s mistakes. It was unfair and definitely not the Jedi way.

“How old is he?”

“I am not quite sure, I would need to look it up, but… about ten years old, perhaps eleven, certainly not older than twelve.”

He still had time, Obi-Wan thought. The boy was not yet thirteen, he would not be sent away from the temple anytime soon. Still… if no one was interested in him now… And something deep inside the Knight told him that no one would, not even while watching the young Initiate bravely holding his own against the so called ‘Chosen One’.

“Mace,” the seriousness in his tone caught the Council member undivided attention. “I think I just found my Padawan.” And the Force sang with approval.

“Jinn? Are you sure?”

“Yes, he is the one. I can feel it.”

A small smile appeared on the older male’s features and he nodded his approval. “Come on then, let us greet your future student.” 

But Obi-Wan hesitated, even though Mace had already risen from his seat. “Mace…”

“If this is about Qui-Gon… it is not very Jedi like, but… I could keep him occupied if you want.”

He gave the other a grateful smile and watched how Anakin dealt the victorious strike. “No thanks, I think I handle that.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hi, can you continue your Obi-Wan chooses a padawan fic? I would love to know how it continues ^^ Love your writing <3

Even though he promised Mace that he could handle it, he was still silently thankful when the Korun Master followed him down, into the sparring hall. Surprisingly, they were not stopped. Usually there was always a Knight or a Master, who wanted to talk to either Obi-Wan or Mace, it was sometimes frustrating to be a Council member or in Obi-Wan’s case, the first Sith Killer in thousands of years. But this time, nobody approached them. The ginger haired Knight was not sure if it was because Mace was sending everyone they passed dangerous glares, or because his attention was fixated only on his goal. It was probably a mixture of both.

 

Upon reaching the training ground, Obi-Wan’s blue-green eyes immediately took in the scene. Anakin Skywalker was proudly presenting himself and a few younger Initiates applauded him, what only fueled the blonde. He shook his head at the unjedi like display. Obi-Wan knew for a fact, that he would have been scolded by Master Jinn for this kind of behavior. But of course the Chosen One was allowed more. Then his gaze traveled to the kneeling boy, whose head was bowed and who was panting heavily. It was no wonder, he and Padawan Skywalker had practically danced through the whole hall.

“Obi-Wan,” Mace hissed under his breath and gripped the Knight’s arm, stopping him from continuing. Obi-Wan sent him a questioning look, but the Council member just shook his head and motioned to their right.

Reluctantly, Obi-Wan followed the other’s gaze and found himself looking at the infamous Qui-Gon Jinn, who was making his way towards the two boys with long strides. His face was set in a neutral mask, but upon spotting Anakin, it turned into a smile.

“Let go of me Mace, I want to get to my Padawan,” he said.

“Sorry,” mumbled the dark skinned Master, “just wanted to see what he would do.” Obi-Wan was not sure what that was supposed to mean, but he deemed it better, not to comment on it. Instead he continued his way towards the still kneeling boy, who was a few feet away from the Master-Padawan pair.

 

“Initiate Jinn?” the ginger haired Knight asked gently. Midnight blue eyes snapped up upon being addressed and they widened upon seeing, who was addressing him.

“Knight Kenobi,” he bowed as good as he could. There was surprise in his eyes.

Obi-Wan chose that it was better to kneel down as well, he did not want to look too intimidating. Meanwhile Mace stood a few paces behind him, offering silent comfort to the young Knight. 

And Qui-Gon had turned around too. He had heard his name being said in an all too familiar accent, but he was surprised that his former student was not paying him any attention, not at all. Instead he was kneeling gracefully before the Initiate his Padawan had beaten. He silently crept closer, but stopped in his tracks, when he caught Mace’s warning brown eyes. Instead he decided to watch and listen. 

 

“I watched your performance Initiate, and I must say that I was truly impressed,” Obi-Wan decided to start with a compliment to break the ice. 

Jon-Ral blushed a crimson red, he was obviously not used to such praise. “Thank you Knight Kenobi,” he mumbled and avoided the blue-green eyes, which looked so friendly and warm. He immediately felt drawn to the Knight.

Jon-Ral just wondered what the Knight wanted from him. He surely did not just come to compliment him on his skills. Perhaps he had come to speak with his former Master and had decided to compliment him on the way. But that did not explain, why he was kneeling in front of him and giving him all his attention. Master Jinn was standing only a few feet away after all.

“Is Ataru your chosen form?” Obi-Wan continued to ask. Now that he was so close to the young Initiate, he could see the resemblance. Jon-Ral was quite tall for his age, the eyes were definitely the same as Master Jinn’s, even the hair color was the same. His nose was not as… strong defined however and certainly not crooked. 

“Yes, it suited me the best,” he hesitated, “Master Yoda told me I should study it.”

Obi-Wan nodded in understanding. Yoda helped a lot of young Initiates and Crècheling to find their paths and to help them make important choices. He and Yaddle were practically everyone’s lovely Grandparents, with Yoda giving advises and always ready to listen to problems and with Yaddle comforting Younglings and hiding sweets and other traits in young Jedi’s’ robes. 

“A wise decision,” he commented. The young Knight subtly took a deep breath, before releasing his nervousness into the Force. Now, or never. “Initiate, I actually came to ask you another question.”

For the first time since their brief conversation has started, their eyes really met. Jon-Ral wondered what the Knight meant, though he did not dare to hope that he would be asked to become this man’s Padawan. What would the Sith Killer want with someone as clumsy as him? Besides, he was Master Jinn’s nephew, why would the other man want to chose someone as his apprentice, who would remind him so much of his Master? It would make no sense. Of course the young Initiate knew about the rejection of Knight Kenobi by his former Master, everyone in the Temple knew that story.

“What… what question?” he was proud of himself from having stopped his voice from shaking.

Obi-Wan straightened proudly. He could briefly feel Mace’s amusement from somewhere behind him, but he ignored it for now. “Initiate Jinn, would you do me the honor of becoming my Padawan learner?”

Midnight blue eyes widened in disbelief and the older Jinn took a startled step back as well. He could not believe that his former Padawan would take on a student already and then the name of the Initiate…

“Are you serious?” Jon-Ral asked, though one glance into sparkling blue-green eyes and into the young Knight’s smiling features told him everything he needed to know. Without thinking, he moved forward and buried himself against the startled Jedi’s chest and mumbled a happy, “Yes.”

A moment later, the young Initiate realized what he was doing and highly embarrassed, he wanted to pull back again, only to be stopped by a pair of strong arms.

“No need for that Padawan,” a gentle voice teased.

Warmth felt the former Initiate and in this moment, something snapped to life in the back of his mind. Startled he looked up at his Master, only to find his own expression mirrored. 

Startled blue-green eyes looked over their owner’s shoulder, at the gaping Korun Master, whose expression slowly turned to smugness and delight. “Congratulations Knight Kenobi and Padawan Jinn, the Force has just formed a bond between you and therefore approved of your partnership.”

Everybody knew what that meant. Obi-Wan’s and Jon-Ral’s partnership was willed by the Force, there was no denying it. Not that the young Knight wanted to.

 

Meanwhile Qui-Gon Jinn was only able to openly gape at the new Master-Padawan pair and Anakin Skywalker looked angrily at them. He could not understand why his Master’s - and practically everyone else’s - attention was on the two kneeling Jedi, even though HE had won…


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Could we have more about Master!Obi and padawan!Jinn. Also maybe a lesson in humility for Anakin, that boy needs it.

Obi-Wan had to stifle a chuckle at the sight of his sleepy Padawan coming out of his bedroom. Their quarters were sparely furnished since they had just moved in. A lot of possessions still had to be transferred, but it had time, there was no need to rush.

“Good morning Padawan,” Obi-Wan greeted the young Jinn.

“Morning,” he mumbled barely audible and slumped down onto a chair, right across from Obi-Wan. His arms came to rest on the tabletop and his head on top of his arms.

“Please sit straight Jon-Ral,” Obi-Wan said gently. It took a few moments before the brown haired male reacted, but the ginger haired Knight blamed his sleepiness and did not comment on it.

Deep blue eyes blinked and the boy was obviously struggling to stay awake. Obi-Wan decided to have mercy on him, just this once and fetched the boy a cup of tea that should wake him. The Padawan mumbled a little, “Thank you,” and his groggy mind turned to consuming the warm liquid.

For half an hour, Master and Padawan just sat at the table, letting the day start slow. “Awake now?” Obi-Wan asked, but he made sure that the younger male saw the smile on his face.

Still, the young Jinn blushed. “I’m sorry Master, it’s just… I didn’t…” he trailed off, clearly embarrassed and ashamed.

On instinct the Knight reached out and laid his hand on top of Jon-Ral’s, getting the boy’s attention. “Don’t be ashamed telling me what is bothering you. I am your Master, but I am also your friend. You can trust me with anything and I assure you that it will be my pleasure to help you in any way that I can.” 

Jon-Ral avoided the older man’s eyes for a moment. “It’s nothing,” he eventually said. “I just couldn’t sleep.”

“You were too excited from the day’s events, I imagine.” The Padawan in question nodded hesitantly, glad that he had been understood. “Don’t worry too much about it, it is only natural.”

But was it really? Obi-Wan himself never had a normal apprenticeship, he was actually not able to tell if it was normal or not. It didn’t matter though, since his words calmed the young boy down. 

“How about we go and spar today and afterwards, we will meditate together?” Usually a new Padawan and Master pair would start their relationship with the Padawan’s haircut and the braiding of the Padawan braid, which was usually followed by exchanging vows and then a shared meditation. But Obi-Wan wasn’t one for traditions, though he made sure that it seemed to other Jedi like he did. He mentally sighed, perhaps he SHOULD start with the braid before anything else, he DID want everybody to see that Jon-Ral Jinn had been claimed by him.

“I would like that, Master,” his eyes were sparkling. It appeared as if they shared their joy and enthusiasm for lightsaber combat.

A grin appeared on the Knight’s young features. “But first, eat something. I can practically hear your stomach growling.” he laughed.

“Yes Master,” the Padawan joined in.

* * *

While Obi-Wan and Jon-Ral walked through the corridors, with the sparring halls as their destination, the ginger haired Knight found himself unable to ignore the disbelieving stares he and his Padawan received. More than once he had to stop himself from commenting to them. They were making his Padawan uneasy and he did not like that, especially not since he had lived through that too, just with the difference that Qui-Gon had either not noticed or not cared. Neither option was good.

“Padawan,” Obi-Wan called and motioned for the boy to step closer. When the brown haired male stood beside him, the Knight could not help but to reach out and finger the new braid fondly. There was a warm look in his eyes and Jon-Ral immediately felt a lot better.

“I am glad you convinced me not to cut your hair too much,” Obi-Wan said. He had to admit that he could not picture his charge with the typical short hair style and therefore he had allowed himself to be corrupted into leaving the strands longer, especially the bangs around his face that gave his Padawan a reckless and boyish look. Jon-Ral still sported the popular pony tail at the back of his head of course, though he did not seem to mind.

“Me too,” his smile was almost all tooth.

“Just don’t get too attached to it.” He silently added the name of a certain Jedi Master in the privacy of his mind.

Jon-Ral understood the unspoken consequences. “But Master, they are a part of my body, how can I NOT be attached to them… Or they to me?” The question was asked in an innocent tone, too innocent for Obi-Wan’s liking.

“Brat!” he joked and ruffled brown hair, before pushing their owner away. “This is how you respect your elders?” he feigned mock shock.

“No,” a shorter body pressed itself against Obi-Wan’s side, “this is how I respect you.”

“Hah,” he laid an arm over his young one’s shoulder. He was enjoying their teasing, especially since the boy was coming out of his shell. “I knew I should have borrowed Master Yoda’s walking stick.”

“Don’t worry Master, I will write it down for you so that you won’t forget in your old age.” He grinned.

The ginger haired male stopped walking and pulled his charge into a proper hug. “Don’t change,” he said. “Just promise me this, don’t change and stay who you are.”

Jon-Ral noticed that the time for teasing was over and that his Master meant it dead serious. “I will give my best Master,” he vowed.

“I know you will,” the younger male did not see the Knight’s pleased smile since it was hidden in his brown hair. “Now come,” he said while pulling away, ignoring the curious stares of passing Jedi, “let us head to the training halls, before they are full.”

“Yes Master,” the new Padawan replied, with a happy grin on his young features.

The duo did not notice the pair of eyes that had watched their interaction with a mixture of jealously and scorn. Anakin Skywalker knew what he had to do, the hard part was convincing his Master to join him in the training halls. Then again, the man did anything he asked of him… 

* * *

Jon-Ral went down with a surprised shout. His trainings saber clattered to the ground, out of his reach unless he used the Force. He had no chance of using it however, because a larger and heavier body landed on top of him.

“Master!” shouted the Padawan, “Get off of me, you are heavy.” But despite the protest, he was laughing.

“Me? Heavy? Oh dear Padawan, you still have much to learn. Imagine me with thirteen years, smaller and barely with the appropriate weight for a boy of my stature - I was always a lightweight - and then there Master Qui-Gon kneeling on me.”

“He truly did that?” there was only surprise in the boy’s voice. Obi-Wan rolled off of him and onto the ground, facing the ceiling. “It was my first lightsaber and combat lesson and the most important lecture he gave me during sparring.”

“What was it?” he had sat up a bit and was looking down at the older Jedi.

“You have to know yourself and your body, as well as the advantages it has. Qui-Gon was always tall and relatively heavy due to his built. It is easier for him to best an opponent with strength and the wider range he possessed.”

“What about you though?”

“I was short, but more flexible than him and quicker. Actually, the latter was what I worked on. It was rather clear that I would never become as tall as my former Master and therefore I had to balance his taller and more muscular frame with my speed.”

A thoughtful hum escaped the Padawan. “What about me?” Now things were getting interesting. 

“It will still be a few years since you reach your full height and even though you are taller than your agemates, you are still smaller than I am… I would suggest to work on your speed for now too, it will come in handy, when you are an adult as well. Afterwards, we work on your strength.”

“Sounds good,” commented the younger male. “But you forgot one thing that is just as important during battle.”

“Oh?” he had closed his eyes at this point, but could still feel the mischief of his student, “And what would that be, wise Padawan of mine?”

“Surprise!” he shouted and only a second later, he landed full force on Obi-Wan’s abdomen. A loud grunt escaped the Knight, while his charge was laughing loud. It was a miracle, how well they had bonded even though they knew each others for only a few days.

“Just wait you,” growled Obi-Wan playfully and he reached out, but his student had already crawled away from him.

A throat being cleared caught the pair’s attention and when the ginger haired Knight turned around, he found himself gazing up into the all too familiar face of Qui-Gon Jinn.

There was amusement in his midnight blue orbs, which were darting between Jon-Ral and Obi-Wan. “It pleases me to see that at least some of my teachings got through to you, my old Padawan.”

Obi-Wan did not like to be called like this, he was a Knight after all, had been one for years in which the older male had not cared about him at all. He had been too occupied with the Chosen One and even though it HAD been Obi-Wan, who had stepped aside to give the two some space, a short call would have been manageable, as well as nice.

“If you say so,” he got to his feet, only now noticing the blond terror that was standing right next to the long haired man.

Qui-Gon seemed unfazed by the none too warm reply. “Well, aren’t you going to introduce me to my Grandpadawan?” His tone was soft and his smile was warm and friendly, yet Obi-Wan felt not at all comforted. His former Master had just spoken claim on Jon-Ral and even though the ginger haired Knight would excuse THIS slip up, he would not tolerate any kind of interference in his training.

“Padawan,” he called calmly, nothing of his inner turmoil showing outside. A little hesitant and shy, did the younger Jinn step forward. “Master Jinn, meet my Padawan Jon-Ral Jinn, Padawan, meet my former Master Qui-Gon Jinn.”

“It is an honor meeting you,” the boy replied, taking all the comfort he could get from the bond he shared with his Master.

“The honor is all mine,” there was a strange sparkling in his eyes. There was no doubt, he HAD researched about the younger male and he undoubtedly knew his relationship to Jon-Ral. It only meant that Obi-Wan had to be more careful from now on. “And I assume you know my Padawan, Anakin Skywalker.”  
Unsurprisingly, the blonde made no move to show any respect.

“Yes Master,” answered the younger Jedi in training and he even bowed.

“You know, since we are all here… why don’t you and your Padawan spar against Anakin and me?” He just meant well, Obi-Wan could tell this much, though Anakin certainly didn’t.

“Indeed,” he motioned for his charge to follow him and over their bond, he gave him an idea on how to defeat the young Skywalker, whose greatest weakness was his arrogance. The fact that he had beaten Jon-Ral only a few days ago, would only help. Surprise was on the side of Obi-Wan’s Padawan.

“Are you ready?” asked Qui-Gon after he had taken off his robe and threw it onto a nearby bench.

“Whenever you are,” replied Obi-Wan after he had shared a brief nod with his eager student. “Keep calm Padawan,” he gently mumbled.

“Yes Master,” was the whispered reply.

And thus, the fight began.

* * *

The face of a stunned and beaten Qui-Gon would forever be burnt in Obi-Wan’s mind. The Master had certainly not expected that his former Padawan would change his fighting style from Ataru to Soresu in the middle of the fight and right back. The combined strength of both lightsaber forms as well as the experience the ginger haired Knight had gathered on his countless solo missions, had made him win, even though it had been a relatively close call. Still, the result stayed the same. Qui-Gon was laying on the ground, his lightsaber in Obi-Wan’s hand and the tip of two lightsaber blades at his throat.

“I yield,” he had stammered out, after realizing what had happened. Had he been lucky, his Padawan might have saved him, but Anakin was too occupied with his own fight - that he too was losing from the looks of it - to come to his Master’s ‘rescue’.

Without commenting on it, deactivated the Knight the two weapons he was holding and he gracefully slid to the ground into a sitting position. He was clenching both handles tight in his hands, while watching his new Padawan fight with a calmness and precision he had not shown during the tournament. For a moment Obi-Wan wondered what had changed, but Qui-Gon gave him the answer only seconds after.

“He is drawing on your experience and calmness,” it was stated matter of fact, but now Obi-Wan was able to see it as well. The words were true, their bond was wide open and Jon-Ral used his Master’s connection to the Force, as well as his knowledge to booster himself up. It could prove to be a useful skill in the future, when they had both mastered it.

It did not take much longer for Anakin to lose his weapon and it left the blond Padawan in shock. Yet Obi-Wan did not really experience any of it, since he was pulled into a vision this very moment.

_At first Obi-Wan had no idea what was going on and where in the name of the Force he was. Slowly, very slowly, a couple of figures appeared, like shadows against the light. The Knight decided to investigate and stopped dead in his tracks, when he saw a man lying on the ground, who looked like an older version of him. There was someone standing protectively above his motionless form and for a moment Obi-Wan thought that it was Qui-Gon, but then he spotted the many differences. This was not Qui-Gon Jinn, this was a knighted Jon-Ral Jinn and he was fighting against… Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan blinked. He could not understand what was happening. WHY it was happening. Why would his own Padawan attack Anakin, unless… his eyes turned to his own motionless form. There was only one logic explanation that seemed even more real when the actual Qui-Gon Jinn, his hair was more grey than brown, entered and joined Jon-Ral’s side, even though he obviously struggled. Obi-Wan’s Padawan pushed forward and it actually looked as if his next attack might land a hit on the blond Force user, but before it did, the vision ended._

Obi-Wan came back to his senses, to find himself bend over and a pair of strong and familiar hands on his back.

“That’s it Obi-Wan, come back. Yes, take deep breaths, you are in the training hall with me and your Padawan. Try to remember.”

Obi-Wan took a few moments to calm himself and root himself back in reality. As soon as he had found his center, he nodded and Qui-Gon let go of him, sitting back on his heels.

“Master?” this was Jon-Ral. Distantly Obi-Wan noticed that there was no sign of Anakin Skywalker anywhere. He wondered where he had vanished off to.

“Don’t worry Padawan, just a vision… I am connected to the Unifying Force, it tends to happen,” he tried to sooth the worried boy.

“Are you sure you are alright?”

“Yes,” he gritted out, before making eye contact first with Qui-Gon and then with his Padawan. “I’d like to return to my quarters however… I need to meditate.”

Qui-Gon nodded his approval and stood up, offering the ginger haired male a hand, which the latter took after only a moment of hesitation. He let himself be pulled up and then there was the steadying presence of his Padawan at his side, both physically as well as mentally. Together they left the training facility and only, when Obi-Wan had entered their shared quarters, did he realize that he had Qui-Gon’s lightsaber hanging on his belt. He silently cursed, making sure that Jon-Ral would not hear it, this was just his luck…


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi could you write some more of the Tabula Rosa AU. I really love the relationship that's developing between Obi-Wan and Jon-Ral. Maybe they can discuss the expectations everyone has of Jon-Ral because he's Qui-Gon's nephew. Full of angst and fluff.  
> AND  
> Hahaha, was a thing I did not even know that Tabula Rasa until you mentioned it! AND I LOVE IT. kudos to your really its wonderful :) if you feel like continuing it… I would love to see Qui-gon’s point of view for when Obi-wan eventually returns the saber. Is it conveniently dropped of when he’s not home? it it passed off to a friend and then back to Qui-gon while Obi-wan and new padawan go on a mission? Or is it just no muss no fuss handed back. Thank you once again.

Obi-Wan wondered how hard it was to give somebody his lightsaber back. He was still carrying Qui-Gon’s lightsaber on his belt, always hoping to meet the other Jedi in the hallway to just pass it over, or to find him in his quarters. If Obi-Wan did not know any better, he would have said the older Jedi was avoiding him. That was complete nonsense however, Qui-Gon was just a busy man and it did not stop with him being too busy with Obi-Wan. 

The ginger haired Jedi had noticed that Anakin was suffering from his Master’s other activities as well. It was no wonder that he was behaving the way he did. The young blonde wanted attention and he thought that he would get it, by acting out of the line. It DID get him attention, from everybody else, but not from the one he craved.

“Poor child,” mumbled Obi-Wan, more to himself than anybody else.

“Master?” Jon-Ral was walking next to him, only two tiny steps behind him. “Is everything alright?” He had sensed his Master’s thoughtful and just a little sour mood and he had therefore not interrupted the other’s thoughts up until now. It was actually time for some sparring lessons with his Master, but the ginger haired Knight was so distracted that they were running circles in the Jedi halls. In fact, they had passed the same strange statue of some long forgotten Jedi, three times already.

Obi-Wan blinked. “I am sorry Jon- Ral… I am a little troubled. And probably not the best to be around right now… Why don’t you run along and train with your friends?”

A smile appeared on the young Padawan’s features. He liked that idea. It was not that he had many friends, but he loved the few he had all the more. “I would like that Master,” he said.

“Good. Before you go… you have another class after lunch, don’t you?”

“Yes, astrophysics.”

Obi-Wan hummed in thought, was it worth a shot? He was unsure. “Why don’t you invite Anakin to our quarters for evening meal today? I am sure he would be happy to have some company.” He knew that the blonde had been eating alone in the grand hall most of the time. Either Qui-Gon was not there at all or he was seated with the other Masters, as was usual, but the young Padawan had also avoided contact with his peers. Strange indeed.

Calculating and suspicious midnight blue eyes were regarding the older male carefully. Jon-Ral would be a good judge of character and therefore a great diplomat one day.

“Alright,” he said somewhat sceptical and after a brief pause, he continued, “Are you going to tell me, what you have planned, Master?”

“Ah, my dear Padawan,” he threw his arms over the brown haired boy’s shoulders, drawing him to his side, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Sure,” Jon-Ral was amused, especially when the sparkling in his Master’s eyes was a clear indicator for a lot of mischief and planning. His Master was a force to be reckoned with, but he liked him all the more for it.

* * *

Obi-Wan was only a little bit surprised that Anakin Skywalker had actually followed the invitation and was now standing a little lost in his and Jon-Ral’s quarters. The latter was not faring much better. He too was standing awkwardly in the living room, not knowing what to say. If you just dug deep enough, it became clear that the two males had quite a lot in common.

“Anakin, what a pleasant surprise,” he wore his most charming smile. “Why don’t you boys take a seat?”

The blonde was tense, as if he expected that something bad were to happen sooner rather than later. Obi-Wan ignored it. In fact, he left the two younger males alone while looking after the dinner he was preparing and while looking for some juice for the two. He took just a little bit more time than necessary, all in hopes that the Padawans would be engaged in a conversation when he returned. He was not disappointed.

 

“My, my, you are quite… passionate, aren’t you?” he asked with humor at the two boys, who were obviously not very pleased with something. Obi-Wan carefully set the two glasses of juice before the Padawan and seated himself across from them. “Care to tell me?” he asked, looking directly at Jon-Ral, who began fidgeting.

“We were talking about class, Master.” Anakin was avoiding looking directly at him, Obi-Wan noticed, and Jon-Ral was also struggling to look at him while speaking.

“Oh?” 

“The teacher is a sleemo,” added Anakin, crossing his arms over his chest in a stubborn manner and quietly daring Obi-Wan to disagree.

“Language,” he said casually, leaning back in his armchair, “What happened that makes you think that?”

For a moment, neither Padawan said anything. Jon-Ral was wringing his hands on his lap and worrying his bottom lip, while Anakin openly scowled.

“Jon?” he probed, using his charge’s nickname to show that everything was alright.

“He gave Anakin and me more homework,” mumbled the brunette. 

“Why is that? Have you misbehaved?”

Jon-Ral obviously struggled to answer. “He said as Master Jinn’s Padawan and nephew, we shouldn’t have any problems dealing with them.”

Obi-Wan’s face darkened. He absolutely HATED people, who judged children based on their Masters and relatives. It was not fair. No two beings were the same, not even twins. A Jedi, especially a Master, should know this. Without really thinking about it, he stood up and seated himself between the boys. One of them was clearly angry and annoyed, the other one unsure and perhaps a little frightened It was interesting how different the two of them reacted to the same problem.

“I’ll talk to your teacher first thing in the morning. Neither of you will do more than your classmates, you hear?” he said and he watched, how Jon-Ral exhaled and slumped in on himself. 

Obi-Wan wondered, perhaps the astrophysic teacher was not the only one, who was thinking this way. A little more digging was in order, but not now. Anakin, who was seated to his left, relaxed too, his mood brightened. The boy was strong in the Force and it was a little scary that his mood could influence the Force aura the way it did.

“Don’t worry boys, I’ll got it,” he promised and he first ruffled brown locks and after a moment of hesitation, blond locks as well. It surprised him only a little that the attention seeking Anakin leaned into the contact, obviously enjoying it. “You know, I think it is about time that the three of us have a serious talk and since we cannot do more than wait for dinner to get ready, we have the opportunity to do so now.”

Anakin tensed under his hand and he could feel fear spiking inside the boy. Jon-Ral tensed up as well.

“Talking, Master?” he asked, unsure. 

“First of all, you are both your own person. Don’t let your life be designed by expectations others have of you, because of who your Master or uncle is.” He looked intently into each male’s eyes. “Do and give your best and everything will be alright. Everybody who thinks differently, is not worth your time… that doesn’t mean you are to skip classes,” he hastily added the last part. 

“What can we do against such a sleemo?” asked Anakin, defiance clear in his eyes. There was also a lot of anger that was covering his insecurities. The boy was clearly afraid to fail.

“Language,” Obi-Wan chided. “You can always talk to your Master… or to me.” He did not know why he said the latter. Perhaps it was because he felt like Anakin needed someone else he could trust and cling to. Obi-Wan sighed. “When I was your age, I went to something similar. The teachers deemed it necessary to give me extra work as well. At the beginning, it was no big deal and I could easily handle it, but eventually… it got out of hand, I began to skip sleep in favor of doing all my assigned work. I did not tell Qui-Gon though, I pretended like nothing was wrong, until… until I collapsed during one of our sparring sessions. Long story short, after Qui-Gon found out, he made sure that I was treated the same as everybody else.”

“It was not fair of the teachers to treat you differently,” interrupted Jon-Ral, who had unconsciously moved closer to his Master’s side.

“No, it wasn’t. Neither is it fair that you are treated any differently. You shouldn’t be judged by other people’s standards and you shouldn’t let your life be ruled by other’s expectations of you. It will always end badly. Be yourself, it’s the healthiest way.”

“And what if I don’t want to be the Chosen One?” the question was unexpected.

The ginger haired Knight pondered a moment. “Then don’t be. Just continue to be Anakin Skywalker, Jedi in training and probably the best pilot the Jedi Order has ever seen.” The last part earned him a proud smile from the blonde. It was pride, not arrogance, noted Obi-Wan.

“That sounds wizard,” exclaimed the blonde.

Obi-Wan hummed in agreement. “While we are at it… is there anything else either of you want sto talk about. As your Master and Padawan brother, I am always happy to listen and help you.”

Jon-Ral shook his head. Obi-Wan had not expected anything else to be honest, yet he would engage his Padawan at a later date again. The blonde boy however, looked thoughtful.  The oldest of the trio waited patiently, knowing that it would not help to push the younger male for any answers. Finesse was required here, a skill that Qui-Gon had often lacked during their partnership.

“Why does… I mean…” Anakin stopped talking.

Obi-Wan took pity on him. “Is this because of your Master?” he asked, Anakin nodded. “He doesn’t spend a lot of time with you, does he?” The blonde shook his head, his blue eyes suspiciously wet. It was incredible how well he had opened up, once somebody was willing to sit down with him and talk. The young Knight gave himself no illusions, most of his openness came from the presence of his agemate, but as long as it worked…

Obi-Wan sighed. He squeezed his Padawan’s shoulder, trading a whole conversation over the bond, before he turned his body fully to face Anakin. The younger male did not look at him, but his attention was given. That was enough.

“Qui-Gon Jinn is a… difficult man. You have to know that he has gone through a lot in his life. I can’t tell you what he has all faced, I don’t know everything myself either, just that he had some really dark times. Don’t understand me wrong, it is no excuse for him to behave the way he does…” He paused, “What I am trying to tell you is, that your Master is only human. He has his mistakes and shortcomings. One of them is his setting of priorities and another is his obliviousness. But if there is one thing that I learned during my apprenticeship with him, it is that he is a compassionate and caring man. If you talk to him, I am sure he will listen.”

“Why have you not talked to him then?” the question was asked with an unhealthy amount of distrust. 

“He hurt me,” Obi-Wan decided that being honest was crucial here. “He hurt me, when he told the whole Council that he would take you as a Padawan. One day, I will tell you, how I came to be Qui-Gon’s Padawan, but for now just know that I was not able, nor WILLING to face him. It is not the behavior of a proper Jedi, since we are taught to forgive, but I too am just a man.”

Finally, Anakin looked up at him. His whole aura seemed brighter than it had in a long time, but there was still something bothering him. “You are certain that he will listen?” he asked, his shyness and his true character FINALLY showing. There was no anger and no arrogance to cover up his insecurities.

“I know he will,” the Knight simply said.

“And you? Will you talk to him as well?” it was touching that the blond boy cared, especially after the two of them had such a bad start. And it had all needed just one talk to lighten things up between them.

Obi-Wan hesitated. Was he ready to talk with the man in question? He shot a look at Jon-Ral, who was smiling at him. Yes, he was ready. “I will,” Obi-Wan replied slowly, “But it is more important that YOU talk to him now. I can wait… especially since I still have his lightsaber.” The last part was said dryly and with a scowl that caused his brother Padawan to giggle.

A moment of silence settled between the trio. All that needed to be said, had been said and the air around them was relaxed, just as they were.

Obi-Wan hated to break the silence. “I need to check on the dinner,”  he explained and then, he rose to his feet.

But before he could walk more than two steps, he was stopped by a small voice. “Master Kenobi-”

“Just call me Obi-Wan,” he quickly interrupted Anakin.

The boy nodded, “Obi-Wan…. thank you.”

The Knight in question sent him a true and honest smile. “You are welcome,” he quickly sent a caress over the bond as well, making sure that Jon-Ral knew that he was loved and included.

* * *

It was after dinner and after the plates and dished had been cleared away, when the door chime rang. Obi-Wan looked up from the sabbac cards he was holding, glad for the interruption, because his hand was terrible, and stood up. He motioned for the boys to continue the game, while he opened the door. It came to no surprise, when it was no one other than Qui-Gon Jinn standing behind it.

“I think you have my Padawan?” there was humor in his voice.

Obi-Wan stepped aside to let the taller male, whose eyes came to rest on the playing boys, in. “I planned on kidnapping him, but he came willingly,” Obi-Wan joked.

“Master!” Anakin exclaimed, upon spotting the long haired man. “I am sorry, I-”

But Qui-Gon raised his hand. “It’s alright,” he said gently. A relieved look appeared on the Padawan’s features, as he stepped at his Master’s side. Obi-Wan could feel the brief conversation going on between them. 

“Thank you for your invitation, Obi-Wan,” Anakin bowed in respect and there was surprise in midnight blue eyes. The emotion was quickly covered however and had Obi-Wan not lived with this man for over a decade, he would not have spotted it in the first place.

“You are always welcome here, Anakin,” he said softly, it earned him a bright smile. Jon-Ral chose this moment to step next to him. Wordlessly, he bowed his head at his uncle. 

“Well,” Qui-Gon awkwardly cleared his throat. “As much as I would like to stay and talk,” he looked as if he actually meant it, “it is getting late.”

“Indeed… though you can feel free to visit again,” Obi-Wan said.

Qui-Gon nodded. He turned to leave, but stopped himself. “I believe you have something else that belongs to me.”

Obi-Wan tilted his head. He crossed his arms over his chest and wore a challenging look. “See it as insurance that you will truly find time to visit, before you leave for your next mission.” He NEEDED to talk to the man, about Anakin and about his own feelings. It was about time that he did.

Qui-Gon’s expression was hilarious. It was a mixture between surprise and disbelief and it seemed as if he did not know, if he should protest, or laugh. After a moment, he caught himself. “Very well,” he replied. “Good night,” he said towards Obi-Wan and he sent a small smile towards his nephew. Then, he was gone.

“I can’t believe that you just blackmailed a Jedi Master,” Jon-Ral spoke up in humor.

Obi-Wan chuckled, “You still have a lot to learn,” he replied cryptically.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt:  
> Tabula Rasa AU - Could we see Obi-Wan flay the instructors? Or maybe Anakin hiding away in their rooms? Or Qui-Gon's next meeting with Obi-Wan? (And is Qui-Gon just that dense that he doesn't manage to sense the entire Temple's disapproval? Or has no one bothered to bring it up with him? Goodness knows he probably /is/ dense enough to miss the mood. Hopefully the meeting helps somewhat.)

Obi-Wan did not know what was worse, his headache that he sported since awakening this morning, or the silently crying child on his bed. 

“Anakin,” he said softly, reaching out to the blonde, who buried his face into the older male’s chest. 

Jon-Ral was sitting nearby, unsure what to do. He had briefly told his Master about the accident that had transpired - Anakin had accidentally destroyed a statue that was at least as old as Master Yoda - and he had received the scolding of his life. Not only that, but a few insults had been thrown his way as well, though Obi-Wan was not sure if they had come from the Masters, or from others of his age.  

Blue-green eyes met midnight blue ones and over their bond, the ginger haired Knight told his Padawan to call Qui-Gon. Someone with a lot more experience was needed here. In understanding did Jon-Ral nod and he quickly scrambled out of the bedroom, leaving Obi-Wan and Anakin alone.

“I know Anakin, this is hard… but I need you to calm down to tell me what exactly happened.” The blonde shook his head in denial, his tears were starting to wet the beige tunics of the older male.

“I don’t want to talk about what happened,” said Anakin. “I hate it here.”

“You ARE at fault as well, you know,” Obi-Wan was aware that these were hardly the words that the young Padawan wanted to hear, but those words needed to be said eventually. And somehow the ginger haired male had the feeling that NOW, was the perfect time to do so. “You arrogance, your false pride and the way you seem to see yourself above everyone else… that is the reason, why people don’t like you. That is the reason, why your agemates avoid you… were you more friendly to them, they would return your kindness.”

The now angry Padawan pulled away abruptly and while he glared evilly up into blue-green eyes, Obi-Wan returned the look calmly.

“It is the truth,” Obi-Wan continued, “and deep down, I am sure, that you know that.”

“What do YOU know of this?” spat the blonde. “Why would you even care? I was your replacement, you should hate me.”

“Hate you? Hate is not the Jedi way.”

“You just pretend to like me, don’t you? You hate me as well, like everybody else,” he would not listen.

Obi-Wan’s headache was getting worse. “If I truly hated you, why do you think did I scream at your instructor last week? I did not only do it for Jon-Ral,” he shook his head, “If you would just learn to look beyond your nose, you would see that the galaxy is not as bad as you might think.”

Whatever Anakin wanted to say, it was interrupted by the sound of a certain pair of footsteps. Obi-Wan did not need to look to know that Qui-Gon had arrived.

“Anakin?” he sounded worried as his eyes saw the tear-stained face and the angry flush on the boy’s cheeks.

“I think it would be best, if you give your Padawan some time to think and meditate, Master Jinn,” Obi-Wan cut in. “And while you do so, I would like to talk to you in private.”

Qui-Gon was obviously taken aback by the serious and demanding tone of his former Padawan. It took a moment, but then he nodded. “Padawan, return to your room and calm yourself, until I return.”

Defiance was clearly written on the blonde’s features, but Obi-Wan shot him a warning look and surprisingly, he gave in and left.

 

For a while, Obi-Wan remained sitting on his bed, with his legs crossed beneath him. He was staring at his wall, without really seeing the ugly beige tapestry.

“Obi-Wan?” the Knight in question flinched as a large and warm hand made contact with his shoulder. “Is everything alright?”

“That depends,” the accented voice began with a sigh, “There is so much going on and I don’t know where to start.”

“At the beginning,” Qui-Gon offered with amusement and he too, sat down on the soft mattress, so that their knees were touching. Obi-Wan barely kept himself from pulling away.

“There is none, not really.” He cleared his throat. “I want to talk to you about Anakin, but also about Jon-Ral and… and about myself as well.”

The long haired Jedi looked pensive for a moment. “Why don’t you start with yourself?” he suggested.

“That would be selfish,” replied Obi-Wan automatically.

“Then be selfish, just this once,” there was something in the deep baritone voice that made the younger male compliant.

“Alright,” he tilted his head back and stared at the dark blue ceiling. He had painted a couple of stars on it that would actually glow during the night. He had always loved gazing into the stars. “Then let me begin with… Naboo.”


	6. Chapter 6

As soon as those words had left Obi-Wan’s mouth, did Qui-Gon pull back, not physically but the young Knight could feel the other building shields around his mind, though it was hard to say, if he did so unconsciously or on purpose. At least it was nice to know that he was not as unaffected by this mission, as he would like others to believe.

“Naboo was a… catastrophe,” replied Qui-Gon slowly, while pushing a few strands of hair out of his face. He was looking ahead, without really seeing anything. 

“That’s one way to put it,” he cleared his throat and fidgeted a little, before he found his strength to talk about his long buried feelings. “It hurt, you know.”

“My death?” he asked, his midnight blue eyes briefly darted towards the redhead at his side.

“No, you casting me aside for a new model, after twelve years of companionship, especially since you had just said that I still had much to learn.” Obi-Wan was silently proud that his voice had been strong.

Finally, did the older Jedi turn to regard his former Padawan. There was something unreadable in those midnight blue eyes of his and he opened his mouth a few times, but no sound escaped him. Eventually, he bowed his head, which caused his long hair to fall like a curtain around his head, hiding him from view. “I know.” And there he was, the broken man Yoda had mentioned in one of their many private sessions. “I know,” he whispered again.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and straightened his spine. Instead of looking at the other male, he turned his attention to the wall, where already a picture of him and Jon-Ral was hanging. They were both grinning and it was hard to say, who was more happy. 

“Why did you do it though?” this was the question he had asked himself at least a million times, if not more.

“I don’t…” he sighed and his shoulders dropped a bit. “His situation reminded me so much of yours and Anakin… he also reminds me so much of Xanatos and I…” he trailed off.

“You were hoping for a second chance?” guessed Obi-Wan and the other Jedi was nodding weakly. A huff escaped the young Knight and his voice was hard, “There IS no second chance. Xanatos is dead and you were told the following at least millions of times, it was HIS decision, not YOUR mistake.” 

“It doesn’t make it easier, you know!” It was rare that Qui-Gon Jinn shouted and it took a lot of the redhead’s will power not to flinch at the angry midnight blue eyes that were seemingly looking right into his very soul. It was unnerving to say the least. 

“I know, I know it better than anybody else. After all it was ME, who had to deal with you and your…. terrible moods. It was me, who always bore the brunt of your anger, your disappointment, because I was not as perfect as Xanatos.”

All of a sudden, all anger was drained from the tall man and it was replaced by deep shock and even sorrow. “You really thought you were… oh Obi-Wan.” Instinctively did he reach out to place a large hand on a freckled cheek, He was surprised that the younger man did not pull away. “You were never like Xanatos, that’s right… you were always better, it just… took some time for me to realize that. You healed a broken man, you brought me back from the darkness on more than one occasion.”

“But I did not heal that man completely,” replied the Knight.

“No,” his hand dropped back into his leap, where he kneaded his fingers. “There are just some wounds that will never heal. They may scar… but they will never heal.”

Silence reigned between the pair in which neither male knew what to say or do. So they just kept on sitting on the comfortable soft bed, following their own thoughts.

Until Obi-Wan had made his decision that is. “I won’t say that I have forgiven you… and I will most certainly never forget. This is a part of me and it will always remain such, I just hope it makes me stronger,” he cleared his throat a little awkwardly as blue eyes landed on his face. “But… but I AM willing to try anew.”

Qui-Gon nodded slowly. He thought for a few moments before making his reply. “I would lie if I were to say that I am not beyond happy about your words, it is just… I am afraid to hurt you again.”

It was this truth, that gave Obi-Wan the confidence that he needed. He put a hand on the taller man’s. “You will never know, if you do not try,” he shrugged.

The bearded male bit his lip and nodded, before slowly raising his arm. His eyes were tightly locked with ever changing blue-green ones, he was looking for denial or any kind of withdrawal, there was none, and he rested his arm over strong shoulders, pulling his former Padawan close to his side. 

“You wanted to speak about something else?” Qui-Gon tried carefully after a short while.

“Yes. About Jon-Ral… your nephew.” He made a pause. “I know that you have been looking into him and I can’t blame you, he IS your nephew and Grandpadawan after all… but…” he sighed in annoyance at himself. “I won’t forbid you to see him or to talk to him, you are part of his origin and lineage after all, just… promise me to keep in line. He is MY Padawan.”

A playful grin appeared on the wrinkled features and there was that mischievous sparkle in his deep blue eyes. “Don’t worry, I am just going to tell him a lot of embarrassing stories about your Padawanhood.”

“Master… don’t,” deadpanned Obi-Wan, “Or I will tell Anakin everything there is to know about the infamous Qui-Gon Jinn.”

“You wouldn’t!” he pretended to be scandalized.

“Oh yes, I would.”

It was something between a huff, a sigh and laughter that escaped Qui-Gon’s throat and Obi-Wan could not help but grin dumbly. He had missed this mindless banter between them the most, even though he would deny it in front of certain people. 

“Speaking of Anakin…” the older Jedi let the sentence trail off, expecting his comrade to continue.

Obi-Wan’s good mood all but evaporated and he pulled away from his former Master to properly turn to him. He needed the other to see that this was dead serious. “I don’t know how to say this,” he began hesitantly.

“Short and painful,” replied Qui-Gon, "I learned that this is the best in these kind of situations.”

“Okay,” he nodded and played a little with his tongue against the inside of his cheek. It was an old habit that he rarely allowed to surface, here in the privacy of his chambers, with only Qui-Gon to witness it, he allowed the habit to make an appearance. “The thing is… with Anakin… and you… you are doing exactly the same thing with him, as you did with Xanatos.”

He could have punched the bearded man right into the face, he would have received pretty much the same look and reaction. “W…what?” 

Obi-Wan bit his lip. “Everyone thinks so… all the Masters are talking behind your back, the Knights have settled you as the Jedi Master no one wants to be or become. It is one of the reasons why no one wanted Jon-Ral, they all fear that he turns out like you, the Master, who discards his Padawan, whose arrogance blinds him.” He took a shaky breath as he saw the devastation in the other’s face, the hurt in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“No,” his voice trembled. “I am glad that at least YOU told me the plain truth, and I know it is the truth.” A lonely tear drop was falling from a closed eye and vanished into a brown-silver beard. 

“Qui-Gon…” he did not know what to say.

“It’s alright. Actually no, it is not. But I need to meditate,” he gave Obi-Wan a teary smile. “Again, thank you Obi-Wan, for this… conversation. It was overdue.” Without another word, he fled from the scene of crime, leaving behind Obi-Wan, who did not know how to feel. There was sympathy for the older man, a little anger towards all those ‘Jedi’ who talk behind his former Master’s back, there was pride and hope, because Qui-Gon had actually listened and so on and so forth.

His turmoil of emotions was only broken by a young teenager, who carefully poked his head in. “Master? Is everything alright?” he asked.

The ginger haired Knight did not answer immediately, instead he motioned for his Padawan to join him on the bed, which the latter immediately did. “No Jon-Ral, nothing is alright. Your uncle goes through a hard phase and I am not sure I can help him this time…”

A small hand grabbed his and the bond began to healthily beat between them. Obi-Wan smiled at the brunette, who cuddled closer to his side. “I think, everything is going to be fine.” And Obi-Wan allowed his charge to keep his childish optimism.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't forget to leave a review behind! ^^


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